Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be the kickoff to a month of holiday overeating, ending with a regretful New Year’s resolution and a January diet.

What is the ingredient that makes your Thanksgiving meal most enjoyable? The answer is easy: Less stress. Simplify your entertaining and enjoy the day more. You need the right blend of great food with family & friends, and above all - relaxed hosts.

I will demonstrate a number of recipes that uses convenience foods wisely to free up time, and allow you to be a relaxed host—not a frazzled cook.

While there are treasured, made from scratch favorites that are crucial to each family’s tradition, not everything has to be time-consuming, homemade and high caloric.

And by the way, the term “turkey stuffing” does not mean that you are supposed to stuff yourself until you are comatose.

A little bit of savvy planning can make your Thanksgiving meal easy. These are simple recipes to knockout your guests with your hospitality, not your anxiety.

And here are tips to ensure you enjoy the closeness of family and having everyone together for a day of sharing.Stress-free strategies• Plan your menu, make a list and shop. No last minute dashes out to the store for high calorie expensive last minute items.• Clean out your fridge to make room for all those prepared foods and make-ahead dishes. Set and dress your table before your guests arrive- like the day before. • Pick up the living room, dining room and bathrooms. Plan to keep guests out of the rest of the house.• Empty your dishwasher.• Start cooking one or two days ahead.• Stock up on disposable containers and food wrap so you can immediately put away leftovers, or send them home with your guests. You’ve taken care of food safety, and decrease your temptation to nibbling.• For nutrient-rich and tasty recipes that already provide calorie and nutrient analysis information, go to www.loveyourraisins.com

Place cream cheese on serving dish and pour Raspberry Chipotle Sauce over top, allowing it to drizzle down sides of cream cheese. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint. Serve with gingersnap cookies or assorted crackers.

Curried Mango Chutney DipStir curry powder to taste into low-fat sour cream. Swirl in bottled spicy chutney sauce and handful of golden raisins. Serve with fresh snow or sugar snap peas. Sweet, spicy, crunchy and full of healthy nutrients, all in one dish.

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Unfold the piecrust and place on sheet. Place the cinnamon apples in the center of the crust and mix in the lemon peel. Fold the edges over the filling, making pleats as you go. Brush the edges with the egg; sprinkle with the sugar. Bake 20 minutes or until the crust is golden. With a spatula, transfer from baking sheet to a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.6 servings

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

BEAN CUISINEBean EconomicsHave been talking about ways to decrease the food budget, while still eating healthy and delicious food.• Dry beans and other legumes are some of the most widely available, inexpensive and nutritionally complete staple foods.• Cost- minimal compared to the cost of protein from animal meats.• One drawback however, is the time, and lack of knowledge to cook dried beans from scratch.

Cooking: • Stove top: Cover with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of soaked beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons oil. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender when taste tasted, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep beans just covered with liquid. • Slow-cooker or crockpot: Cover soaked beans with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Bring to a boil on high. Then, cook 8-10 hours on low. • Freeze: Will keep up to 6 months in freezer once cooked.

Bean Nutrition• As both a vegetable and a non-meat protein source, beans contain nutrients found in both food groups. • They are also a nutrient-rich source of complex carbohydrates and contain dietary fiber, proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers and to aid in weight maintenance. • In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, recommend that adults consume three cups of beans per week to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Most Americans don't even eat one (1) cup in a week.

Beans in polite company• If high-fiber foods such as dry beans are not a regular part of your diet, the natural complex carbs in beans may cause temporary digestive discomfort. • Research shows that adding beans to your diet on a regular basis -- at least once or twice a week -- reduces flatulence. • The best way to reduce beans' naturally occurring carbs is to use the quick hot-soak method to soften dry beans, then drain the soaking water and start with fresh water for cooking.

Beans for Blood Sugar ManagementBeans boast a low glycemic index and contain complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly. These facts make beans a good choice for people needing to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.Shrimp & Red Beans Creole

Beans for a Healthy Heart• Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat, are free of saturated fat and trans-fat, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein. • Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.• Spicy Bean Cake

Note: May be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. The drink will thicken in the refrigerator. Stir in orange juice or cold water for desired consistency. If frozen strawberries are used, omit the ice cubes.

PreparationHeat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, garlic until soft, for about 5 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, salt and paprika, sprinkle over vegetables. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf and season with hot pepper sauce to taste. Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, stir often and simmer for 20 30 minutes until thickened. Add water if the sauce is too thick. About 20 minutes before serving, drain and rinse beans. Add beans, peeled shrimp to sauce. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Idaho’s Spicy Bean CakeThis low-fat spice cake is sure to be a family favorite. Frost with a maple or cream cheese frosting. Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa if chocolate cake is desired. Makes 12 servings

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Bean EconomicsHave been talking about ways to decrease the food budget, while still eating healthy and delicious food.• Dry beans and other legumes are some of the most widely available, inexpensive and nutritionally complete staple foods.• Cost- minimal compared to the cost of protein from animal meats.• One drawback however, is the time, and lack of knowledge to cook dried beans from scratch.

Cooking: • Stove top: Cover with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of soaked beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons oil. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender when taste tasted, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep beans just covered with liquid. • Slow-cooker or crockpot: Cover soaked beans with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Bring to a boil on high. Then, cook 8-10 hours on low. • Freeze: Will keep up to 6 months in freezer once cooked.

Bean Nutrition• As both a vegetable and a non-meat protein source, beans contain nutrients found in both food groups. • They are also a nutrient-rich source of complex carbohydrates and contain dietary fiber, proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers and to aid in weight maintenance. • In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, recommend that adults consume three cups of beans per week to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Most Americans don't even eat one (1) cup in a week.

Beans in polite company• If high-fiber foods such as dry beans are not a regular part of your diet, the natural complex carbs in beans may cause temporary digestive discomfort. • Research shows that adding beans to your diet on a regular basis -- at least once or twice a week -- reduces flatulence. • The best way to reduce beans' naturally occurring carbs is to use the quick hot-soak method to soften dry beans, then drain the soaking water and start with fresh water for cooking.

Beans for Blood Sugar ManagementBeans boast a low glycemic index and contain complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly. These facts make beans a good choice for people needing to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.Shrimp & Red Beans Creole

Beans for a Healthy Heart• Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat, are free of saturated fat and trans-fat, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein. • Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.• Spicy Bean Cake

Note: May be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. The drink will thicken in the refrigerator. Stir in orange juice or cold water for desired consistency. If frozen strawberries are used, omit the ice cubes.

PreparationHeat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, garlic until soft, for about 5 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, salt and paprika, sprinkle over vegetables. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf and season with hot pepper sauce to taste. Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, stir often and simmer for 20 30 minutes until thickened. Add water if the sauce is too thick. About 20 minutes before serving, drain and rinse beans. Add beans, peeled shrimp to sauce. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Idaho’s Spicy Bean CakeThis low-fat spice cake is sure to be a family favorite. Frost with a maple or cream cheese frosting. Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa if chocolate cake is desired. Makes 12 servings

It seems that the week or so after Easter, we're always overrun with boiled eggs so it makes sense that Egg Salad Week is the full week right after Easter Sunday every year. But really, how many egg salad sandwiches can your family eat? And in these harder economic times, we want to make the most of all the nutritious food in our refrigerator. So Mary Lee is here today to show how we can take advantage of the nutrition from those beautifully colored Easter Eggs.

Also provide tips to how to hard cook your eggs instead of hard boiling them. Cooking eggs for too long or at too high a temperature can make them tough and rubbery, with an unattractive green ring around the yolks.

Step by step to hard cooked eggs:  Put the eggs in one layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the sink. Run water into the pan until the water is 1 inch over the eggs. Put the pan on a burner. Turn it to medium-high heat.  Let the water come to a boil. Put the lid on the pan when the water is boiling. Move the pan onto a cold burner. Set the timer for 15 minutes for Large-sized eggs (or for 12 minutes for Medium-sized eggs or for 18 minutes for Extra Large-sized eggs).  Put the pan in the sink when the time is over. Run cold water into the pan until the eggs are cool. Put the eggs into the refrigerator if you're going to use them later or peel them if you're going to use them right away. Be sure to use all the cooked eggs up before a week is over.  If your eggs get mixed in with the fresh eggs, spin eggs on a flat surface. The solid cooked eggs will spin easily; while raw eggs (with liquid inside) will wobble.

Safety first!  Decorated eggs are safe to eat as long as they’re not cracked. Check that all decorating materials are food safe.  Make sure eggs do not sit out for more than two hours, or 30 minutes if it is hotter than 85 degrees.  And do not hide Easter eggs where they can come into contact with pets, birds, dirt, lawn chemicals or pests. Hard cooked eggs in the shell can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Nutrition: Take advantage of nutrients in your leftover eggs and serve them in meals the following week. Nutrient Density: Eggs are all natural and have 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, healthy unsaturated fats and antioxidants, for only 70 calories each.  Healthy Pregnancy: Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects.  Eye Health: Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in egg yolks, help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of age-related blindness.

Breakfast:  Jumpstart your day with a hearty and nutritious breakfast Brain Function: Choline helps maintain the structure of brain cell membranes and is a key component of the neurotransmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles.  Hindoo eggs: The eggs are served in a curried white sauce and served over hot rice or toast points. May be eaten for breakfast or as an entree.

Lunch All Day Energy: Studies show that eggs provide energy without causing a spike in blood glucose or insulin levels, thereby helping people feel full longer and more energized.  Pan Bagnat, a pressed baguette sandwich made with tuna, sliced hard-boiled eggs and potatoes that actually gets better the longer it sits. The sandwich is a specialty of the region of Nice, France.

Dinner Eggs play a role in weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more. It’s considered a nutrient–rich food. That is, for the amount of calories it contains, it delivers a lot of nutrients. So get cracking! Try chopped hard boiled eggs on your spring asparagus, or use four hard cooked eggs in luscious lemon cookies.

Melt butter in a medium nonreactive skillet; add the onion and sauté over low heat until the onion is clear. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Off the heat, gradually stir in the broth and milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thickened and smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Cut the hard-boiled eggs into quarters and add to the sauce. Cook just until the eggs are hot, but do not boil. Just before serving stir in a drop or two of fresh lemon juice. Serve over hot toast points. Yield: 4 servings

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. While continuing to whisk, gradually add the olive oil. Whisk until an emulsion forms. Set aside.

Slice the baguette horizontally into 2 pieces. Tear out some of the soft bread in the center of each side, making a slight well in the bread. Place the tuna, green pepper, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tomato on the bottom side of the bread in that order.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, top with the second piece of bread, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. Cut into 4 sandwiches and serve.

Add in hard boiled eggs and process until fully incorporated. Mix in egg. Add flour and pulse until dough just comes together.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds with a 2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter. Dip the cut cookies into the egg white then dredge in the sugar. Arrange on baking sheet - cookies will not spread - and bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.

Pleasing Picky EatersGet your kids to actually eat their food. Sure, you can prepare the best healthiest meal, but what are the tips to ensure that your child actually eats it? It’s all about finding the balance between preparing healthy, quality meals and ensuring your child will eat it. The best way to get your kids to eat healthier is to make healthy eating fun and get them involved with all aspects of meal planning: from menu planning, to in the grocery store and into the kitchen.Have a frank talk. Find out their true likes and dislikes. Talk about it first before springing a “surprise” in the lunch box. Sure, tabbouli sounds good to you… but to your child?

Pleasing Picky EatersEvery child needs to be well-nourished to achieve optimum growth and health. Research studies and anecdotal evidence provide compelling reasons for children to eat nutritiously consistently, every day. • Numerous studies confirm that children in better nutrition status have better grades, better scores on achievement tests and better classroom behavior in school. • Good food choices provide the essential nutrients kids need to stay healthy and grow. • Each meal can make a difference to the daily and weekly totals for calories, fat, saturated fat, fiber, sugar, and sodium, and setting good health patterns for their whole life.

Tips to get your kids to actually eat the food. But as every parent knows—preparing and presenting the food is one task, the challenge too often, is to get them to actually eat it Sure, you can provide the best, most nutrient-rich foods, but what are the tips to ensure that your child actually eats it? • The best way to get your kids to eat healthier is to make healthy eating fun and get them involved with all aspects of meal and food planning: from menu planning, to in the grocery store, and into the kitchen. • Planning; Have a frank talk. o Find out their likes and dislikes. Just as adults have food preferences, likes and dislikes, it’s OK for your kids to have some as well.o Talk about it first before springing a “surprise” in the lunch box or meal. Sure, tabbouli sounds good to you…but to your child?o And be sensitive to your child’s peer group pressure. Carefully balance your health goals with your child’s comfort level in being making creative lunches. A cookie cutter sandwich shaped like a bunny rabbit may not appeal to all age groups.o Keep up to date, and plan periodic assessments. Tastes and interest change. If you have served a “like” for 3 weeks in a row, and it starts getting rejected, it’s time to have another planning session.• Menu and meal planningo Involve the kids in simple cooking tasks, or setting the tableo As the child gets older, help them to pick out and plan a meal once a week• Grocery shoppingo Allow each family member to put a favorite (healthy) food on the grocery listo Even very young children can help shop: pick out one apple or two oranges at the grocery store.o Tip to keep your sanity—don’t take the kids shopping if they are tired, hungry and cranky!• And most important—be a good role model.

Start with the nutrition basics: To best meet children’s nutritional needs, look at the Food Guide Pyramid and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Make smart choices from every food group: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk & Dairy, and Meat & Beans.• Many Americans, including our children, consume more calories than they need without meeting recommended intakes for a number of nutrients. • As a result, many children are becoming overweight but undernourished, and their diets are lacking in calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E. • Emphasize nutrient-dense foods – foods with higher levels of beneficial nutrients in relation to total calories, and especially those nutrients that children are lacking, to get the most nutrition out of our calories. • Following mom’s admonition to eat your fruits and may be some of the best health advice around. Evidence continues to accumulate on the many ways that vegetables and fruits promote good health, reducing risk of major chronic disorders such as heart disease and cancer.o Just 1/4 cup of dried fruit, such as California Raisins, counts as a fruit serving. It's easy to reach the daily goal of 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables when you focus on including a variety of them in every meal and snack.• Include low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains that help kids get more of the nutrients they need. • Choose foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and salt.

Meal by Meal

Eye-Opening Breakfast Ideas:• When making pancakes, waffles and muffins, sneak in some whole grains by replacing half of the white flour with whole wheat flour.Fluffy Polka Dot Pancakes• For a breakfast style burrito – and a protein and fiber boost – fold eggs, beans, shredded low fat cheese, lean ground beef and vegetables into a whole wheat tortilla.• For a veggie breakfast hash, sauté shredded carrots, zucchini, peppers, onions and uncooked hash browns in canola oil until tender. Mix in one egg and cook until egg is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Top with cheese for an extra calcium boost.Power up on the go. Toast a 4-inch whole grain toaster waffle and top with 1 cup low fat or fat-free yogurt and ½ cup mixed berries and ¼ cup California raisins.

Dismiss the Bread Blahs Lunch: After you find something your child actually likes, don’t serve it over and over and over every day. dreaded bread boredom sets—not another sandwich?! • Think variety when “sandwiching” your lunches. o Try whole grain raisin bread, pita bread, whole wheat tortillas to make “wraps,” whole grain rolls, mini-bagels or flavored bagels.To jazz up a lunchtime favorite, spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter inside a 4-inch whole wheat pita pocket and stuff with ½ cup sliced strawberries, and a tablespoon of raisins.Mayan Soft tacos• Introduce foods in fun wayso Hummus, with pretzels or celery sticks to dipo Think beyond peanut butter. New butters on the shelves include sunflower seed, cashew and almond. Sprinkle on raisins, and/or send with a whole banana to slice on top.o Leftover cold meat, sliced into strips and sent with salsa, ketchup or barbeque sauce dip.o Roll-ups of tortillas filled with cheese and/or lunch meat around a pickle• Up the taste of the fillingo Stir chopped celery, cashews, raisins or water chestnuts into tuna or chicken salado Add shredded carrots or raisins to any nut buttero Explore new fruits and veggies from the produce aisle: kiwi, red jumbo raisins, jicama, donut peaches, mangoo Fruit Salsa Salad with a snap and a kick that older kids will love

Sweet Endings• Provide a sweet dessert with some nutritious bits!California Gold BarsBaked Peaches with Golden Raisins• Don’t get into the “good food” vs. “bad food” trap.o Forbidden foods become all the more appealing. You can add mini-chocolate chips to a granola mix, or provide a min-chocolate bar without compromising nutrition. Just watch amount and frequency.

Healthy Snacking for All Ages- Drop the potato chips! Mary Lee will share some healthy snack ideas that kids will love, and parents can feel good about serving – and enjoying themselves.- From snacks to send to school or snacks to serve when all the neighborhood kids are at your house, Mary Lee will provide some quick, easy and delicious snack ideas (that are also good-for-you, too!). - Parents often find themselves tempted to gnash on their kids’ snacks – and who can blame them? Convenience is always a factor. When you prepare healthy snacks for your kids, you will find that you, in turn, are snacking healthier.

Healthy Snacking for All Ages

Whether you are a mom, dad, nanny, grandparent, teacher, or other caregiver, you know that nurturing and nourishing children is one of the most important - and challenging! - roles you will ever experience.

Most kids are starving after a long day at school, so make sure you have something fast and easy for them to eat when they get home. • Lunch was hours ago, and kids need to eat every few hours for best nutrition. And you can even sneak more vitamins into a delicious snack with easy recipes.• Providing snacks for after school programs is a great opportunity to help kids practice healthy eating.• Including a healthy snack between meals is a healthy way to keep hunger in check and stay energized throughout the day.

Did you know that most children, especially the younger children and active teens, need to eat every three to four hours to replenish energy stores and recharge their bodies? • A between meal snack is often a necessary component of a school-age child's overall nutrition intake. • Research shows that many kids are eating too many calorie-, sugar- and fat-rich snacks that provide little in the way of nutrients they need for health and growth.

An easy way to provide nutrient-rich snacks is to choose them from the food groups that provide the essential nutrients that are currently limited in most kids diets- CA, K, Mg, Vitamin E and fiber.• Selecting snacks from the Fruit, Dairy and Whole Grain food groups will provide an abundance of healthy—and good tasting snacks to fuel your child’s growth.• Today, I have sample snacks made from these food groups that not only taste good, but are simple to make and will sure to be a hit with your kids-and you.

And a word to adults about snacking• To many of us, snacking seems like a questionable extra, rather than part of healthful eating. Good nutrition sense however, challenges the popular myth that people should not snack.• In fact, it’s important to include those treats because research shows when people restrict or deprive themselves of foods they love they are more likely to over-indulge later on. • Snacking may have weight control advantageso Eaten between mealtimes, snacks help take the edge of hunger, avoiding overeating at meals. o Smart snackers choose food and portions carefully to match their calorie target without going over. Treats can fit in if you keep sight of your overall diet.

Nutritious Snack GuidelinesInstead of reaching for food that is high in calories, primarily from sugar or fat, such as cookies, candies and sweet snacks use the Food Guide Pyramid to plan snacks, just as you do for meals.

• Choose whole-grain foods such as bagels, tortillas, English muffins, breads and cereals to provide energy, fiber and a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Breakfast Raisin-Banana Tortilla Roll-up (though I must confess the whole peanut butter issue is putting a serious crimp on kids’ snacking)Bumps on a Bagel

• Include fruits and vegetables for color, variety, crunch, taste and nutrition. Variety of fresh fruit and variety of raisins

• Limit added fat and sugars as much as possible. Your after school snack doesn't have to be sweet, but if it is, you can still make it nutritious.Caramel Apple Sundae

Three commandments of snacking for kids 1. Snacks should not take longer to make than to eat. Salsa Roll-up: Roll Monterey Jack cheese in a whole wheat tortilla and dip in salsa.

2. Invention makes everything taste better. Even those dreaded good-for-you foods are a hit when cleverly disguised. It's one of life's snack mysteries: Putting food on a stick improves the flavor. Calling it a pizza anything is a sale.Raisin Apple Mini-pizzasFresh Fruit Kabobs on straws

3. Never eat snacks with forks and knives. It's a proven fact that anything eaten with fingers tastes better. Beyond Good Old Raisins and Peanuts

Start a new family traditionThe first day of school can mean a new outfit, fresh pencils and clean notebooks. And to mark the start of a new and special year of school beginning, celebrate with an after school treat or end of meal with a special, delicious dessert.Applesauce Bread Pudding

Conclusion: Snacking has become a way of life for children. Nearly all children eat at least one snack per day, with many children eating two or three. After-school snacks high in sugar, fat and calories can contribute to dental cavities, obesity and spoil the child’s appetite for dinner. • Include a wide variety of foods from the Fruit, Vegetable, Dairy and Grain Food Groups in your and your child’s snacks. Use delicious and nutritious snacks to build better nutrition and better bodies to contribute to overall nutrition well-being.

(Photo by Getty Images, Illustration by Maureen Scance, The Denver Post)RelatedWhat better way to show your loved ones you care, than to make sure your fridge is clean, cold and well- organized? You might blame the restaurant where you had dinner the night before, but most food-poisoning cases start at home. In fact, food-borne illnesses are three times more likely to occur in private homes than in commercial kitchens, says Denver dietitian Mary Lee Chin. Many cases are due to improper storage, unsafe food handling, lack of cleanliness and poor refrigerator maintenance. Even the most orderly looking fridge can harbor foods that can make you sick. After Chin e-mailed us confessing her own food-storage sins — she was shocked to learn that the refrigerator door is too warm for storing eggs; "Isn't that why they have those little egg holes?" — we wondered what icebox infractions ordinary people are committing. We tagged along as Chin inspected the kitchen of Carmen Mix, who volunteered to be our guinea pig. The mother of two small children worries about limp celery and moldy cheese and hopes to persuade her mother not to keep leftovers so long. First, Chin checks the seal on Mix's 3-year-old GE model. "There should be a slight tug when it opens," says Chin. That tells you the seal is working properly, one of the first things to check on an older model. A cracked seal allows air in and can cause the temperature to rise. "That creates a perfect environment for bacteria to grow." Plus, she says, the seals have ridges that collect moisture and dirt, so clean them once in a while. "What do you do with your settings?" the inspector asks. "Have you checked them?" "I ... no," says Mix, with a nervous laugh. "It's probably set to what it came at." She's lucky, because her fridge has a thermometer and it reads a perfect 40 degrees. If you don't have a built-in thermometer, buy one and make sure your fridge is set to 40 or below, says Chin. Americans throw away, on average, more than a quarter of the

Dietitian Mary Lee Chin, right, tells Carmen Mix that she doesn't have to keep soy sauce in the fridge. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)food we buy, especially produce. "Many of us wait till it turns to lettuce soup, then we don't feel guilty about throwing it away," says Chin. "I'd love to have our celery last longer," says Mix. "When celery goes limp, it's because it's lost moisture," Chin says. "It's still OK to eat, but who wants to eat mushy celery?" Keep produce in plastic bags and tightly cover cut fruit and veggies to maintain quality. Produce becomes wrinkled or mushy because the plant cells have begun to collapse, allowing the loss of nutrients and increasing bacterial growth in the compromised cells, says Chin, ticking off a list of dos and don'ts: • Don't purchase produce with mold, bruises or cuts. Bacteria can thrive in those blemishes, and vegetable bins are the most likely place to be contaminated. Produce used for salads — lettuce and spinach, for example — grows low to the ground, where the leaves are likely to come in contact with fertilizers. • Do buy only the amount of produce that you will use within a week. • Do place washed produce into clean storage containers, not back into the original ones. • Do refrigerate fresh produce within two hours of peeling or cutting. "What about mold on cheese?" Mix asks as her daughter Whitney, 2, pokes her head into the chilled interior. "If it's hard cheese, cut off a good portion because it does have legs, so to speak," says Chin. "On bread, if it's

Mix's son, Mason, plays with cans of pop, a better choice than milk for storing in the door. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)white, green, brown or real fuzzy-looking, don't mess with it, throw it out." Although Mix doesn't keep her eggs in the door, she does put them in the container that came with the fridge. Chin tells her to keep the eggs in the original dated carton so that they last longer, and she'll know how old they are. You can tell if an egg is fresh by cracking it open onto a plate. If it's old, the white will spread out. A fresh egg white will stand up firmly. While Mix holds her year-old son, Mason, just up from a nap, Chin reaches into the fridge for a jar of baby food. "Don't feed him out of the jar and put it back in," she says. Bacteria transfers from the baby's mouth to spoon to jar, so it's best to spoon out a serving from the jar, and refrigerate the rest for another meal. "What about leftovers? Do you label them?" Chin asks, suggesting Mix keep some masking tape and a marker handy to date her leftovers. "We do have a lot of leftovers, with the little ones," says Mix, shifting Mason on her hip. "Just wait til he's an adolescent," laughs Chin, who raised two sons and knows a thing or two about growing appetites. Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com ________________________________________Kitchen myths "The milk belongs in the refrigerator door, because it's easier to get to." Easy access, yes, but doors consistently are warmer than the rest of the refrigerator. Rather than milk, yogurt or cold cuts — foods that spoil quickly — use the door to store condiments, bottled sauces, soft drinks and juice, which keep longer because of high sugar and/ or salt content. "It's already cooked, so it's safe." Just because a food has been cooked doesn't mean it will stay safe. Leftovers still need to be refrigerated within two hours. "I don't need to wash my hands when I'm eating at home, my house is clean." Eeeuw! Think about it. "The first mistake in any kitchen is people don't wash their hands enough," says John Woolley of Johnson & Wales University. "They think if they're not outside working on the car then it's OK." Not OK. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently when working in the kitchen. "I don't need to wash this melon — I'm not going to eat the peel." Wash anything you're going to cut into. Whatever's on the outside will transfer to the inside when you cut into it. "People think, 'I'm just gonna put this melon on this cutting board,'" says Woolley. "You take that bacteria and put it on your cutting board and there's a little moisture or protein on there and the bacteria starts to grow." ________________________________________Keep hot food hot, cold food cold IN THE FRIDGE: Between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature danger zone, where bacteria is more likely to grow at a fast rate. Your refrigerator should be set to 40 degrees or colder. Get a thermometer if your fridge doesn't have one, to make sure it's cold enough. They are sold at grocery stores, specialty shops and restaurant suppliers. Store seafood as close to 32 degrees as possible — toward the back of the fridge, where it's colder. OUT OF THE FRIDGE: Cook ground beef to 155 degrees. "Ground beef takes the outside and puts it on the inside, because you grind it all up. Anything, bacteria, that was on the outside is now on the inside," says John Woolley of Johnson & Wales University. Cook chicken to 165 degrees; this goes for anything mixed with chicken as well. "The top end is 165 for killing bacteria on chicken," says Woolley. Cool down soups and stews by transferring them to shallow pans so the heat dissipates quickly. It's OK to put hot food into the fridge, especially if you transfer it to smaller containers, says Sharon Franke of Good Housekeeping. ________________________________________Storage containers The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested 31 containers, lids, bags, wraps and liners, and recommends these five products for keeping food fresh: Rubbermaid Premier. Whether you're driving your special dish to a potluck or carrying lunch to work, a no-leak container is key. Here's one that will protect your car from salad dressing: Rubbermaid's Premier set ($2.50 to $9; 866-271-9249; rubbermaidpremier.com). Nalgene. Ceramic canisters are cute but not airtight. Give flour, sugar, rice and other dried foods a longer shelf life by stashing them in Nalgene jars ($3.33 to $8.23; 800-625-4327; nalgene-outdoor.com). Tupperware Ice Prisms. Filled with fruit or salad, Tupperware's Ice Prisms are nice enough for your buffet table — and their lids snap on tightly to keep food fresh. One downside: The containers need to be washed by hand ($17.50 to $29; 888-887-9273; tupperware.com). Bormioli Rocco Frigoverre Plus. The Bormioli Rocco Frigoverre containers had the tightest seal in our tests. And if you're nervous about microwaving in plastic, these glassware pieces will put your mind at ease ($30 for a set of three, amazon.com). QuickSeals. Forget scrunching, tying or clipping. Instead, close packaged goods with QuickSeals, which fit over a bag's opening to create a secure zippered seal ($1.29 for six; quickseals.com). Goodhousekeeping .com ________________________________________Keep it clean More than three out of five Americans say they wait for food to taste bad, look bad or smell bad instead of checking the expiration date, says dietitian Mary Lee Chin. The expiration or "use by" date is the date by which food should be used or frozen to ensure quality and consistency — and it should be followed, she says. Take inventory of the contents of your refrigerator once a week or immediately before going grocery shopping. Remove outdated foods promptly. While cleaning, remove all food and store in a cooler. Wipe up spills as they happen to keep your refrigerator clean, and help it to be odor-free. And if you wipe up juices from raw meat, throw out the sponge or paper towel — don't keep using it, says Good Housekeeping's Sharon Franke. If they're removable, take the parts out and wash them in hot soapy water, says Franke. Inside the fridge, use baking soda, a cleaner such as Fantastik or a very diluted bleach solution, says Franke. "You don't want to spray a cleaner into fridge," she says, but it is safe to use. Spray onto a sponge, then rinse off with water. Replace filters on icemakers and water dispensers every six months or as recommended by the owner's manual. To rid fridge of offensive odors, add a cup of baking soda to a bowl or plate and place inside refrigerator for 24 hours. A box of baking soda in the back of your fridge can help eliminate odor contamination.

Love Food Hate Waste• Name of a government sponsored awareness program in the United Kingdom to reduce food waste

Americans waste an astounding amount of food • Much of the waste is preharvest, or during processing and handling, and from restaurant and cafeteria waste. However a large of amount of food is wasted in our own home kitchens.• According to a government study, it is estimated 27 % of the food available for consumption is wasted, working out to about a pound of food every day for every American• This is like bringing home 4 shopping bags of food and throwing away one of the bags immediately.

During these tough economic times, when the food budget is biting us back, decreasing household food wastage is one strategy to make your food dollar stretch farther.• Food losses happen because of over-preparation, plate discard, cooking losses, and spoilage from foods forgotten in the refrigerator.• These may sound familiar: Examples are entire heads of lettuce that have gone bad, half-eaten boxes of crackers and sprouted potatoes and onions and end up in the landfill• Happily here are some easy and practical ways to save money by wasting less food and help the environment as well

Portioning: By planning ahead, you can avoid cooking too much and having a lot of leftovers. • Too often we have good intentions but usually leftovers end up being thrown out• Use handy measuring equipment to accurately make the amount of food you need.• For example, ¼ cup of raw rice makes one adult serving• Use a Spaghetti Measurer to determine how much pasta to cook. Large amounts of noodles end up in the trash

Planning: Reserve some time to plan meals. • Many people buy a stock items of groceries, with no thought of what dishes will be made that week. Too often ingredients are not used, and go to waste. Plan 1-2 weeks of menus.• Shop your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer first before going to the store. Avoids purchasing foods you already have, but forgotten. And those jars of gift jelly, boxes of gourmet wild rice and cans of vegetables used to can be turned into tasty meals.• Make a list and shop your list. Impulse buying can add a lot to the grocery bill. .

Leftovers are actually makeovers.• If you are not going to eat leftovers within 2-3 days, seal in freezer wrap, date and freeze at 0 degrees. Will make a great for a meal for one.• Periodically hunt through the fridge and pull out all those scraps of leftover cheese, vegetables and meat. Turn into quiche, quesadillas or omelets• Check your produce compartments and don’t forget about fresh fruits and vegetable, but use up. o Any spare fresh tomatoes could be added to some canned ones to make a great topping for pizza. o Rice would turn leftover chicken and wrinkly peppers into a delicious salado Bits and dabs of leftover vegetables, added to canned soup with milk produces a nourishing, quick and nutrient-rich soup. Benefit of dish provides a lot of nutrients for a small amount of calories, and the calcium and other nutrients in milk.o For a free lunch, take leftover salad, meat and cheese and make a wrap.

Take time to look at use by and expiration dates• Buy dates with longest shelf life. Then if changing mind about using it, there is still time to eat it before it goes bad.• Periodically check the use by and expiration dates of the food in your refrigerator. If you know you are not going to use it by the date, then freeze it, using appropriate airtight containers and bags and mark with masking tape/pen. Use within 2 months.• Buying in bulk saves money on a per item basis, but not if you don’t use it up before it spoils.

A shocking amount of food we buy in the US ends up being thrown away.• It’s not just banana skins and tea bags. • Most of that food could be eaten. • Spend a little time planning ahead, and save money and calories, plus get a healthier diet.

With money tight, finding the best deals on groceries may become more important to people than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy.• Healthier foods may be more expensive, but remember that anything high in fat and low in nutrients isn't cheap either…and you may pay for it in long term health problems• It is still possible to eat healthy rich on a limited budget.• Provide tips today, food group by food group to get a nutrient-rich diet.• Nutrient-rich definition: Foods that deliver a significant amount of nutrients such as vitamins. Minerals and anti-oxidants, for the amount of calories it contains.

Protein foods • Foods that deliver nutrition-rich for the calories and the cost• Inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes• High-quality proteins, containing all the essential amino acids in the amounts needed by the body, are generally found in animal sources within the diet.• Try using a smaller, thinner portions of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetablesRecommendations• Beans, either dry or canned. Beans are full of nutritional benefits, such as fiber and protein, and they're inexpensive.• Eggs: Traditional for breakfast, can be eaten B-L-D. A new research review, published in the January/February, 2009 issue of Nutrition Today , (1) concludes that the high-quality protein in eggs makes valuable contributions to overall health by promoting muscle strength and by providing a source of sustained energy.• Confirmed meat eater: Ground beef consumption is up because more people are eating at home and those prices haven't dropped. • Because of the downturn in business travel and business eating out, steak prices have dropped dramatically. And If you watch the mark down rack in the meat department on Tuesday's, that is typically the best day to find steaks marked down because the meat managers heavy up for the weekend. What doesn't get sold is sold on sale on Tuesday.Visual: Grilled Vietnamese Beef Salad with California Golden Raisin Relish

Grains• The word "fiber" can often sound less than appetizing, lending itself to images of tree bark• Adult women should aim to eat more than 20 grams of fiber a day and that men should strive for more than 30 grams per day. Yet, most Americans consume about half the amount of fiber• Recommendations:• The first meal of the day is the most important, not only because it gives you energy to start the day, but also because it is one of the best opportunities to load up on fiber. There are a host of high-fiber cereals from which to choose—then add a banana or another favorite fruit to the bowl along with some fat-free milk for a quick and easy fiber fix.Recommendations• Look for cereals that say “whole grain.” Up the fiber content by adding California raisins, sliced bananas and chopped walnuts. Only ¼ cup of raisins count as a fruit serving, contributing to your recommended four servings of fruit per day.Visual: Bowl of oatmeal with bananas, raisins and walnuts

Dairy• The dairy group is one that we need to be careful not to shortchange, especially for our children who need at least 3 servings a day• Milk provides 3 of the 5 nutrients that the Dietary Guidelines say are lacking in most children’s diets-calcium, magnesium and potassium• Use powdered milk: $2.00 a gal so less than half the price of fresh. Recommendations:• Purchase milk in bulk gallon containers• Look at the use by date to get the freshest milk and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator• You won’t fool anyone that reconstituted powdered milk is the same as fresh as a beverage, but there are some tricks.o To get good tasting powdered milk make sure you start with fresh dry milk.o Mix it ½ & ½ with fresh milk for body and flavor, chill at least 4 hours or overnighto Serve with homemade cookies.Visual: Box of powdered milk, glass of milk, Raisin, Bran and Oatmeal Cookies

It takes an investment of your time and planning, however in these tough economic times, you can still feed your family with nutrient–rich foods while on a budget.

SaladBring salted water to rapid boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water; drain well. Set aside. Toss mesclun, cabbage, carrots and cucumber together in a large bowl; chill.

To ServeGrill beef on very hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side until completely marked and done (145°F for medium rare). Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice very thin and set aside.Divide noodles and mound in centers of 6 individual plates. Top each with a portion of greens and arrange sliced beef along side. Add 2 tablespoons relish and drizzle all with vinaigrette.

Nutrition recession: too many calories, too few nutrients• Prices are way down on the stock market and way up at the grocery store. • Just thinking about it could make you lose your appetite

Imagine high food prices could put the nation on a diet as people, strapped for cash, tighten their belts and eat less.• Soaring food prices will have the opposite effect -- fatten up the nation.• As price of one food goes up, people buy less of it, but buy other, cheaper food in its place, and cheaper foods tend to have more calories than those with a higher price tag• Price of oranges goes up, don't buy as many oranges but may decide to buy cookies• With money tight, finding the best deals on groceries may become more important to people than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy.

It's no accident that high-calorie foods (chips, dips, cookies, candy) are generally cheaper than low-calorie foods (broccoli, asparagus, peaches, blueberries). • Processed foods are cheaper to produce, ship and store• Low-calorie foods are fresh -- fruits and vegetables, meat and fish -- that come pretty much as is from the orchard, farm, ranch or ocean. And they stay fresh for only a very short time• Easily bruised and susceptible to rotting• Quite simply fats and sweets cost less, whereas healthier diets cost more

Tips that won’t break the bank• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store: outer aisles• Balance nutrition budgets• Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste, about a quarter of the food we consume and prepare gets tossed into the garbage• Supermarkets, restaurants and convenience stores alone throw out 27 million tons between them every year (representing $30 billion of wasted food).• If 5% was recovered, it could provide the equivalent of a day's food for four million hungry people;

Produce-nutrient rich: way to give you more nutrients per bite• Colorful, delicious• Buy in season• Use frozen, canned and dried produce• Think the three “c’s” carrots, collards and cabbage• Crunch, color and cost

Save on protein foods• Fish and poultry are often flash-frozen to minimize freezer damage and retain freshness. With frozen foods, you can use only the amount you need, reseal the package, and return it to the freezer. If it's properly stored, there's no waste• When you do buy meat, choose smaller portions of lean cuts.• Inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes• Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. • You could also try using a smaller portion of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetables

Beverages• Shocking statistic, 84% of teens spend money and drink on a daily basis, sports drinks• Milk with nine essential nutrients, is the best bargain at $0.25 per glass

Nutrition recession: what to do with the food budget as the economy flags, sags and drags.• Prices are way down on the stock market and way up at the grocery store. • Just thinking about it could make you lose your appetite • Provide tips that won’t break the bank and will balance your nutrition budget

Imagine high food prices could put the nation on a diet as people, strapped for cash, tighten their belts and eat and weigh less.• Soaring food prices have the opposite effect -- fatten up the nation. • As price of one food goes up, people buy less of it, but buy other, cheaper food in its place, and cheaper foods tend to have more calories than those with a higher price tag • Finding the best deals on groceries may become more important than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy. • Quite simply fats and sweets cost less, whereas healthier diets cost more

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for the bulk of your groceries• This is where most of the basic, fresh and less processed foods are. • Most produce, dairy products, meats, and grain products are usually located on these outer aisles. Often these foods are the most nutrient-rich-that is, they provide a substantial amount of nutrients for their calories. • Then after you shop the outer aisles, dip into the inner aisles for staples that you know you need.

Produce: Nutrient rich and economical ways to give you more nutrients per bite• To save money buy colorful, delicious fresh produce in season o In the winter, think the three “c’s” carrots, collards and cabbage which provide you crunch, color and cost savings• Use dried fruit like raisins o A full fruit serving is only ¼ a cup, and provides plenty of fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants for your health o At 25 to 30 cents per serving, you economically meet one of your recommended fruit servings, compared to 75 cents to a dollar a serving for fresh fruit in the winter.• Frozen and canned fruit and vegetables are also a nutrient-rich option. o Processed just after they are harvested, they maintain nutrient content o You only take out what you need, storing the rest and decreasing expensive food wastage.

Beverages• Shocking statistic, 84% of teens spend money and drink on a daily basis, sports drinks • Milk with nine essential nutrients, is the best bargain at $0.25 per glass • Compare with sport and energy drinks at one to two dollars per bottle-and usually the bottle is two servings, butt realistically the kids drink it in one sitting

Save on protein foods• With flash frozen foods such as fish and meat, use only the amount you need, reseal the package, and return it to the freezer. Properly stored, there's no waste • When you do buy meat, choose smaller portions of lean cuts. • Use more inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes o Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. o You could also try using a smaller portion of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetables.o Purchase in the bulk bins

In this economic recession we also face a nutrition recession: People are overwhelmed, overweight and undernourished• We too often buy high-calorie foods (chips, dips, cookies, candy) which are generally cheaper than low-calorie foods as processed foods are cheaper to produce, ship and store • Follow some basic general principles such as: shopping the perimeter of the store, incorporating dried, frozen and canned produce, choosing more nutrient –rich beverages like milk, and less pop and energy drinks, and looking at alternative protein. • It takes an investment of your time and planning, however in these tough economic times, you can still feed your family with nutrient –rich foods while on a budget

The Chinese New Year of the Ox begins on January 26, 2009 and is celebrated for the next 15 days. More food is prepared and consumed during this holiday than any other time of the year, and much of the food has symbolic connotations.

Mary Lee Chin, a registered dietitian and first generation Chinese-American is encouraging everyone to hedge their bets this Chinese New Year and indulge in the foods that symbolize health, wealth and wisdom.

Mary Lee brings you New Years greeting from the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. In our ninth year, it will be held at Sloan’s Lake Park this year on July 25 and 26

• Boat team registration for both adult and youth teams are now open. • The diverse cultures of Hawaii will be featured at this year's 2009 festival to commemorate the 50th year of its statehood with special activities including a Hawaiian Lei Ceremony, Polynesian dancing, luau ceremonies and much more! • The CDBF will also be featuring the second annual commemorative poster design contest with cash awards for the top three finalists. • For more festival information and New Year recipes, go to www.cdbf.org

FOOD and Health & Wealth: Foods have special significance and it is advised to eat dishes with auspicious sounding names in Chinese.

The Box of HarmonyThe box of candies traditionally offered at New Years is round or octagonal, the form resembling togetherness, and contains dazzling rows of fruit and candies to begin the New Year sweetly. • Candies are given to friends and relatives during their visits. • Each candied fruit is symbolic—though highly sugared, so eat in moderation!• Let’s go over some of the symbolism: I have selected fruits that symbolize wealth and prosperityo Pineapple of wealth o Kumquat - gold, hence fortune, wealtho Lotus seeds, crystallized - a full wallet, many (male) offspringo Candied melon symbolizing good health and growth., having a large number of children o Coconut: promoting togetherness and friendshipo Water chestnut) - unity

The Box of Health and Harmony: Can’t get away from being a registered dietitian and making healthy recommendations.• Modernized and updated fruit offerings to also reflect healthy choices. • These are representative of a food group to encourage: Fruit Food group• Nutrient-rich. That is, they provide much more nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals and other healthful components, for the low amount of calories they contain.

o Tangerines are very popular as, among other things, they symbolize abundant happiness.• Excellent source of fiber and vitamin Co Walnuts- happiness of the entire family• Source of omega-3-fatty acid for heart healtho Grapes and raisins - wealth, abundance, fertility, many descendants, family harmony• Use dried fruit in winter at 25-30 cents per serving to help meet your recommended 4 servings of fruit/day economicallyo Golden raisins• With anti-oxidants beta-carotene and lycopeneo Mangos• Golden- wealtho Apple - wisdom, peace• Excellent source of soluble fiber and a kid favoriteo Peach, pair of - wealth, abundance, long healthy life, great fortune for many generations• Research on phytochemicals to reduce risk of cancer

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.• Events that take place during this time sets the tone for the rest of the year.• Take this opportunity to celebrate health, and happiness with your family, and focus on getting your four servings of fruit/day—even in the winter• For more information, go to www.cdfb.org

As a registered dietitian I am continually challenged to help people separate common myths about common foods.  Food myths are created from outdated science, old wives' tales, and misconceptions that have been around long enough that they take on the aura of truth. They stick around because they are so familiar. But every now and then, you need to take another look at information you believe is true and change with the times.

You know it's easier to feel good about eating "good-for-you food" when you consume Brussels spouts or made-from-scratch whole wheat bread. But have you ever been scolded for consuming foods that are more convenient, can help you watch your weight or provide a guilty pleasure?  Many of these foods deserve a second chance. And new research shows added value and additional health benefits of the foods.

So let's take a look and separate fact from myth.

Milk: We are at a nutrition crossroads here, where we need to take a look at what foods have, rather than what they do not have. All milk, whether it is conventional or organic is the same. And both are the same in that neither contains hormones or antibiotics. And milk is so much more than an excellent source of calcium. Its nutrient-rich foods, containing nine essential nutrients needed for health and growth, and providing a wealth of nutrients for the calories. Research shows that milk consumption can help you feel more satisfied, help achieve positive weight control, and control high blood pressure.

Dried fruit: We have been told to avoid raisins, because they are so sticky, can cause cavities New research reveals raisins may benefit oral health because the fruit possesses several antimicrobial phytochemicals that suppress growth of some oral bacteria associated with dental cavities and gum disease.  Oleanolic acid was one such compound showing positive response to reducing pathogenic activity. Prior, non-related studies reveal oleanolic acid also has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties In addition, just 1/4 cup of California raisins count as a fruit serving, helping you meet the recommended 4 servings of fruit per day.

Eggs: Recommendations have changed. The American Heart Association allows up to seven eggs a week, one for each day.  There is 30 years of evidence which shows that eating eggs daily does not have a significant impact on blood cholesterol of healthy adults. New research shows that eating foods rich in choline (koh-leen) and betaine (bee-tuh-een) such as eggs may help reduce the risk of inflammation associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, bone loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Eggs are a nutrient dense food. They are an inexpensive source of complete protein and contain a variety of nutrients including healthy doses of vitamins A, B12, D, K, and riboflavin.

Sugar substitutes: With overweight and obesity now considered a national “epidemic” many people are working to reduce their calories. Sugar substitutes are a great tool to get the sweetness we all love, without the additional calories.  All the sweeteners on the market, like aspartame, have been carefully tested for decades, and all are safe.  Especially as we head into the calorie-heavy holiday season, the sugar substitutes can help you watch your weight, while enjoying your food.

Processed foods such as spaghetti sauce: Have you been told that it is better to raw than processed foods? In actuality, many processed foods are higher in nutrient content. Processing tomatoes makes the vitamin A content more absorbable. And for men, it increases the amount of the anti-oxidant, lycopene which research has shown to decrease risk of prostate cancer. Just 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce counts as one vegetable serving, helping you meet the recommended five servings of veggies per day.

Water: Think green here as well as safety. (If enough time) For a long time we have been using bottled water, and contributing to the mountain of waste.  Tap water is perfectly safe.  In addition the water in our area has fluorine, and essential nutrition to help keep our kids teeth formation healthy.

Advice is easy to come by these days, especially when it comes to nutrition, but don't fall for “old wives tales.” Take the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of these foods.

I did a little research and discovered some favorite recipes of the presidential and Vice-presidential candidates. A New Hampshire newspaper did a series of articles in late 2007 to find out where candidates stood on the issues, and also in the kitchen.  They printed recipes such as Tancredo’s spaghetti sauce and Clinton’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Now if you are Obama supporters here is Obama's Family Recipe Chili Obama has been using this chili recipe since college and says he would bring it to any potluck party. He says he "can't reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it's just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it, and it will clear your sinuses." The chili powder provides the “oomph” All hot chilies contain phytochemicals known collectively as capsaicinoids. They are being studied to alleviate chronic pain, and interestingly enough, there is research to show hot chilies may have an anti-ulcer protective effect on the stomach.

For the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, one of his favorite dishes is Joe Biden's Pot Pie,  He notes that it is a tradition in his family that on your birthday, you could pick whatever you want to have for dinner. Pot pie is the hottest item. Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."

As for McCain supporters: He says he is a grill-master with McCain's Baby Back Ribs  McCain says barbecuing for guests is one of the few ways he relaxes, especially during the grueling campaign. His carefully honed recipe on the gas grill: baby back ribs, using a dry rub that's a third garlic powder, a third salt and a third pepper.  The trick to not letting the ribs dry out? Keep putting lemon juice on them.

For Sarah Palin fans it has been more of a challenge to find moose for her often cited favorite dish of Moose Stew. I had to search through many online and journal publications to find a Moose Stew recipe. I'm finding it hard to buy moose-illegal to sell in U. S. So if you want authentic moose stew you will have to find a wild game hunter who is willing to share.  You can also use elk which is legal to buy, and which I have been told tastes like moose. The easiest thing to do is to use beef, which I have done in this recipe. And like Biden’s recipe, both contain lots of vegetables like carrots, celery, onion and green beans. As a registered dietitian have to vote for that.

Lastly, I would serve my red, white and blue jello salad to round out the menu. For recipes go to 9news.com for links for the recipes featured.

For the Pulled Pork with Raisin Cornbread, link to www.loveyourraisins.comFor the four presidential and vice-presidential candidate recipes link to www.maryleechin.com

Pie crust (Jill Biden prefers to make the Betty Crocker homemade recipe)Whole chickenCelery, choppedOnion, choppedPoultry spicesSaltPepperPotatoes, peeled and choppedCarrotsGreen beansFlourCornstarchBake homemade crust.Boil chicken with celery, onion, poultry spices, salt and pepper. Then add potatoes, carrots and green beans, and let cook thoroughly.After crust is done, take everything out of water and use water to make gravy. Thicken it with flour and cornstarch.Pick chicken from bones, and put chicken, green beans, celery, onion and potatoes into the pie shell, add gravy, put the top crust on, crimp crust and bake pie shell at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

NOTE: Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."

Mary Lee Chin MS, RD

About Me

Learn more at www.maryleechin.com
Enough of the food police. I focus on the importance of finding pleasure while choosing nutritious foods. When it comes to eating, taste and enjoyment trumps every other factor.
Americans demand food to nourish and improve - to heal, postpone aging and prevent disease, affect mind and body and transport us to different adventures and cultures. My challenge is to provide information that is science based and accurate, and realistically meets people’s needs and desires with common-sense advice.